The launch of the campaign "A World Cup for Whom?" has been successful: After the presentation of the campaign, media of various kinds signalled their interest. The campaign is part of the civil resistance against the effects of the preparations for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Sascha Tankerville, Media and Information
The "Copa para quem?" campaign launched during the 23rd session of the UN Human Rights Council has been very successful. (A World Cup for Whom?) campaign launched during the 23rd session of the UN Human Rights Council aroused considerable media interest. Not only Brazilian media showed interest: While Associated Press inquired about further campaign activities, BBC Brazil announced a report for this week, and French-speaking Swiss television RTS said it was planning a programme on Temps Presents, several interviews and two radio reports were produced in Switzerland. The Radio RaBe programme can be listened to on its website.
Building International Pressure
The network of Brazilian civil rights committees ANCOP (the National Coalition of World Cup Civil Rights Committees) and the human rights organisation CONECTAS scored a respectable success with this campaign launch. The aim of this international campaign is to give emphasis to civil resistance and thus increase the pressure on the Brazilian authorities.
Campaign videos impressed
At the campaign launch, the two organisations presented the video "Who wins this match?" and a video with the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, Raquel Rolnik. "The videos and photos had a strong impact," said ANCOP representative Larissa Araújo. She counted at least 30 participants during the event, including representatives of the Brazilian delegation to the UN Human Rights Council. "They had no answers to questions," Araújo notes. "They just said that it was a great challenge to protect human rights and that we were doing a great job. Unfortunately, we were unable to reach a compromise with them. I think we just have to keep trying."
Basic legal rights out of force
The campaign is intended to draw worldwide attention to the alarming side effects of the upcoming major sporting events, the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games. In Brazil, basic legal rights are systematically abrogated and in great silence people are being driven out of their quarters and favelas in an extremely squeamish manner, allegedly to make room for buildings for events and infrastructure. terre des hommes Switzerland therefore supports the Civil Rights Committee of Salvador.
